Image of Homeless Boy Doing School Work By the Light of McDonald’s Goes Viral, Transforms His Life

A photo of a homeless boy doing school work by the light of a McDonald’s restaurant may have changed the lives of the young student and his family.

Joyce Torrefranca, a student in Mandaue City, posted the images of Daniel Cabrera to Facebook on June 23, writing, “I got inspired by a kid.”

The photos soon went viral in the country and then began spreading across the world, touching a wave of support that may change his life forever.

If you haven’t heard his story yet, the third-grader and his mother Christina Espinosa were left behind by a father and husband that died in prison. A local news station who found the boy reported that the family doesn’t have a permanent place to live after their home was destroyed in a fire, and Daniel’s mother, who makes just 80 Philippine pesos a day, equivalent to about $1.77, is struggling to make ends meet while the family temporarily lives at the restaurant.

Despite the challenges, nine-year-old Daniel does his homework every night on a homemade bench using his only pencil. That’s how Joyce Gilos Torrefranca found him when she took the photo.

Daniel told the news station that he hopes to one day become a police officer. You can watch more here:

A local politician, Rep. Samuel Pagdilao, has given Daniel a scholarship, and Espinosa has been given grants from sponsors to start her own business. The family has also received donations of money and food from local law enforcement and are working with a social worker to see how else they can be helped, the station reported.